Philippines, Volcanic Activity of Mt. Kanlaon (Negros Island Region)

As of 11 July 2026, Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2 but the alert

status may step up to Alert Level 3 should magmatic eruption be

forewarned by sustained and intensifying crater glow or banaag at the

summit crater. Magmatic eruption would generate life-threatening volcanic

hazards such as pyroclastic density currents or PDCs, lava flows, ballistic

projectiles, ashfall, rockfall and others. It is strongly recommended that

communities within the 4-km radius Permanent Danger Zone or PDZ strictly

remain evacuated and those within the PDC Hazard Zones be vigilant and ready

for evacuation in case the chances of magmatic eruption increase. Local

government and DRR partners must ready their response measures, paying

special attention to the vulnerable members of the community including the

elderly, those with medical conditions, expecting mothers and infants. In addition,

increased vigilance against potential syn-eruption lahars and sediment-laden

streamflow in channels draining the edifice is strongly advised should intense

rains occur during eruptive unrest. Civil aviation authorities must also advise

pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden

eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.

● On 10 May 2026 at around 7:00 PM, KVO reported observing with the naked eye

for the first time incandescence at the Kanlaon Volcano summit caused by

superheated volcanic gas, followed by netizen reports of the same observations.

Such a phenomenon when it becomes visible to the naked eye is called crater

glow or banaag, a common precursor of magmatic eruption at Mayon Volcano.

● On 09 July 2026 at 7:33 AM, Kanlaon Volcano generated a moderately

explosive eruption from its summit crater that lasted three (3) minutes based on

seismo-acoustic recordings in 14 stations of the Kanlaon Volcano Network. The

event generated a dense grayish eruption column that was poorly visible in all

cameras of the KVN due to thick cloud cover but was estimated from

photographs taken farther away from the volcano to have risen approximately two

(2) to three (3) kilometers above the summit crater. Poorly visible pyroclastic

density currents or PDCs, hazardous mixtures of hot volcanic gas, ash and

fragmented rock, descended the southeastern upper slopes within at least a

kilometer of the summit crater. Incidents reported in social media indicate that

angular rock fragments as large as 30 centimeters in diameter were thrown out

as ballistic projectiles within a distance of five (5) kilometers from the crater and

impacted Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on the southeastern flank. This is the

farthest reach of ballistic fragments that has been recorded since Kanlaon

erupted on 3 June 2024. The onset of explosive eruption generated a shock

wave that was recorded at a maximum of 255 Pascals by an infrasound station

approximately five kilometers east of the crater and was heard as a booming or

rumbling sound within a 35-kilometer radius. Comparisons of the seismic and

infrasound signals of the 8 July 2026 eruption with the February and 15 March

DSWD DROMIC Report #1 on the Kanlaon Volcano Eruption as of 11 July 2026, 6PM | Page 1 of 5

2026 eruptions yield broadly similar characteristics, indicating a repeating

eruption mechanism. No significant uptrends in monitoring parameters

succeeded the eruption. Sulfur dioxide emission or SO2 flux was measured after

the event at a low average of 473 tonnes/day, indicating that the volcanic system

was temporarily devolatilized or sucked out of magmatic gas by the explosion.

● In response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),

through its Field Office (FO) Negros Island Region (NIR), in coordination with the

Local Government Unit (LGU) of the City of Canlaon, provided relief assistance to

address the immediate needs of the affected families and individuals.

Source: DSWD FO NIR